Search - Johnny Mathis :: Johnny Mathis

The versatility of Johnny Mathis

09/07/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's a rare treat when a popular singer can step out of his "element" and still polish to perfection songs from another medium. Here, a young Johnny Mathis shows the world his incredible versatility with the fluid ease that has become the Mathis Magic. "Easy to Love" one of my favorites is given a new zip with the Mathis pyrotechnic styling. His rendition of "Babalu" surpasses anything you've heard of this mysterious song of witchcraft mysticism (my apologies to Desi Arnaz fans...)"It Might as Well Be Spring" does not conjure up cowboys and the open plains, as we are used to hearing it, but a quiet moment of introspection. "Fly Me to the Moon" sung with almost no accompaniment, lets the Mathis legendary phrasing and range take over our senses."

Please mr. Mathis

Walter P. Kramer | Jacksonville, Florida United States | 08/04/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is a landmark and is a showing of JonMat voiceand style. It is superb! When his mentor at this time (and for years to follow) said to not fall into this category and I feel she denied the public of his originality. He never even came close to this production and there is not one flaw in this recording!He did manage to have several pop listening songs and albums to enjoy but I regret that not one time he he attempt to restore the impact of this particular LP. Just listening to this LP and you know what we've missed. This is 50 years almost and will stand up to anything between 1955 and today and will probaly remain so after year 2055. Thanks Johnny!Your choice of the songs and Your VOICE and delivery are 12 stars out of five..."

If only he had kept going like this!

Walter P. Kramer | 02/03/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this album in '59 after hearing Mathis' more popular tunes on the radio. Simply the most creative of his work, with emotions and style far beyond his later commercial efforts. The backup personnel are some of the greats of jazz - and Mathis matches their talent with musical and technical bravado. After a while, Johnny became a parody of himself, but this album is the opposite of the later stuff - totally artistic. Eventually, I gave away every other one of his albums but this one."